Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering Gods grace in its various forms.

1 Peter 4:9-10

Friday, June 13, 2008

The Downfalls of Getting Older

Hubby and I have decided that instead of sitting on our humps at night watching our boy run around we're going to take an active part in his after dinner play. You know the old saying, "the road to hell is paved with good intentions," right? Well, we got our bikes and LD's bike trailer out of storage and decided to go for a little ride last night after dinner. OMGosh! We certainly didn't make it very far! Hubby went about a 1/2 mile further than I did. I thought my thighs were going to burn off! I was shaking and jiggling by the time I made it up our driveway and my thighs were still burning an hour later! The worst part for me was how every time I pedaled my knees pushed my fat up into my chest. I must have looked like quite the site! Watch out everyone...fat chick on a bike! Amazingly enough I was even heckled once by a bunch of kids driving by. I felt like saying, "at least I'm out here!" How demoralizing. Anyway, I was proud that I got out there. It felt so good afterward that when LD wanted to go for a ride today, I dug out hubby's bike, put on my helmut and pushed off. I went a little further than I planned. However, it was still a very very short ride. I figure I can go a little more each time and I know that LD will be helping. He keeps yelling "More!" every time I stop for a breath!

I was an avid bike rider in my younger days. It was nothing for me to tool along for 4 or 5 miles or so. I don't even remember being out of breath other than climbing hills. Dad tells me we were all conditioned well back then. The three of us, Mom, Dad and I, used to go all over town. It's about 3.5 to 4 miles to our local DQ and we would bike there for an ice cream and bike back home again. I can't even go 1/8th of a mile now without feeling like I was going to fall off my bike! I would head out several times a week to the library about 1 mile away. It was all downhill one way so I'd be heading home with a backpack full (and I mean full) of books trekking uphill the whole way!

I'm thinking this is one of the many downfalls of getting older...not being able to do the things one could do when one was younger. Slower recovery time after staying up too late. Slower recovery time after having one too many drinks. Slower recovery time after too much exercise. Of course, being sadly out of shape (didn't I mention round was a shape?) is also a factor. I am at a full 180 degrees from where I used to be. In the worst shape and the heaviest of my life. My problem is I'm lazy. At least I can admit it!!! I love food. I love to eat it and I love to cook it. I even love to eat what I cook! But with the threat of diabetes hanging over my head, I've been trying to cut out the sugary stuff. It's hard since I happen to be a pretty darned good baker. I still love to eat cookies but cakes are hard for me now. I can taste all the nasty sugar in them. Pies are the same way. I have a hard time with them now. I guess that's a good thing!

I have to get going. LD is bored out of his little mind. He can't seem to settle on doing anything today. So he's busy getting into things he shouldn't be getting into. You all know the drill! So outside we go (while my thighs sigh in agony!).